The smallest SUV segment in India will soon get new players in the form of facelifts, new EVs and a fresh offering from Maruti Suzuki
The micro-SUV segment in India has gained a lot of traction lately and the Tata Punch is leading it followed by the Hyundai Exter. Tata Motors sold over 18,000 units of the Punch last month and this reflects the potential of this market segment. Banking on this trend, car manufacturers are planning to launch new models in this segment along with updating the existing ones. So, let’s have a look at the details of the upcoming micro-SUVs in India.
1. Maruti Suzuki Micro SUV
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is working on a new contender for the micro-SUV segment which will go up against the likes of Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter. Internally codenamed Y43, the new micro-SUV will likely be positioned below the Brezza in the brand’s line-up.
While the exact details are scarce at the moment, the upcoming Maruti SUV is scheduled for a debut in the Indian market sometime in the year 2026-2027. Under the hood, the micro-SUV is expected to employ the new Z series petrol engine which will debut with the new-gen Swift.
2. Hyundai Exter EV
Hyundai Motor India Limited’s (HMIL) first attempt at the affordable electric segment will kick off with the launch of the Exter EV. Going up against the likes of Tata Punch EV, Citroen eC3 and MG Comet EV, the electric Exter was spotted testing last year in India. The entry-level electric car is expected to debut by the end of 2024, however, the company is yet to confirm the exact launch timeline. Under the hood, we expect it to use a battery pack of around 25-30 kWh, with a claimed range in the ballpark of 300-350 kilometres on a single charge.
3. Tata Punch Facelift
Recently spotted testing for the first time, the Punch Facelift is expected to go on sale around the festive season of 2024. The updated SUV will follow the design direction of the Punch EV with elements like connected LED DRLs, vertically stacked headlamps and updated bumpers amongst others.
Inside the cabin, expect the Punch Facelift to sport a new two-spoke steering wheel, minor tweaks to the dashboard layout with an updated feature set such as a digital instrument cluster, 10.25-inch infotainment system, 360-degree parking camera, wireless charging and more. Mechanically, the Punch Facelift will remain the same with a familiar 1.2-litre petrol engine under the hood.